Retractor.



No. 659182. Patented Oct. 2, I900. C. J. FILLING.

RETRACTUR.

(Application filed. my 21, 1900.)

(No Model.)

WITNESSES INVENTOH mama A7T0BNEY UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

CHARLES J. PILLIN G, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND GEORGE P. PILLING, OF SAME PLACE.

RET RACTO R.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 659,182, dated October 2, 1900.

Application filed May 21. 1900. Serial No. 17,443. tNo model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES J. PILLING, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Depressors or Retractors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to surgical instruments of the class of vaginal and abdominal depressors or retractors, as they are sometimes called, the instrurnent being employed to hold back or retracted the abdominal or other organs when the device is inserted in an incision or opening in the body to permit a surgical operation on or near the part held or retracted with greater facility.

Myimprovement consists of the novel features in such instruments, as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation in perspective showing the instrument held in the hand of the operator, this figure being designed particularly to show one of the novel features of the device. Fig. 2 is an end elevation, and Fig. 3 a vertical section taken longitudinally on the line 1 2 of Fig. 2.

As is obvious from the drawings, the blade A and handle B are integral. The instrument may be stamped up in dies,first forming therein in proper width outline, first, the concave surface cm the blade A, the unbroken eontinuity of the same over the junction therewith at d of the handle B and the like continuation of this concavity along the handle extending to its extreme end, and, finally, the curvature of said end at m. This provides adrainage-gutter h, extending from end to end of the instrument, the curved end an projecting outwardly away from the hand of the operator, and hence carrying 01f the blood or other overflow in that direction. This groove-like construction also lends decidedlygreater strength to the instrument, preventing bending or distortion frequently common and enabling me to make a thinner and lighterweight instrument without doing so at expense of strength and durability.

It will be observed that slightly above and midway of the handle the latter is widened atf to form,with the drainage concavity or groove, a cup-shaped depression, the object being to provide thereby a thumb-rest, as seen in Fig. l, the thumb resting in this depression f and the little finger of the hand of the operator resting on the curved end m of the handle, as also seen in said figure. After the instrument has been inserted in the incision or opening (at which time a firm grasp of the handle is exceedingly desirable) the thumb can be removed from the depression f to the edge or rim thereof to avoid obstructing the drainage groove or gutter. 1

The advantages of my improvements are obvious from the description.

I claim as new and of my invention 1. In surgical instruments of the class de scribed, an integral structure consisting of the blade A with the handle B substantially at right angles thereto, the latter having an outwardly projecting curved end m, said members being formed with a continuouslyconcave outer face extending in unbroken continuity from end to end of the instrument, and forming a drainagegutter h; substantially as described.

2. In surgical instruments of the class described, an integral blade and handle, having a continuously-concave face, and at or near the longitudinal center of the handle a thumbrestfformed bya widening of the concavity of the handle; substantially as described.

3. In surgical instruments of the classdescribed, an integral blade and handle, having a continuously-concave face, the extreme end of the handle having an outwardly-curved end m, and at or near the longitudinal center of the handle a thumb-restf formed by a Widening of the concavity of the handle; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature this 17th day of May, A. D. 1900.

CHARLES J. PILLING.

Witnesses:

ANDREW V. GRouPE, H. T. FENTON. 

